A significant portion of the population will experience back pain at some point in their lives resulting from a spinal condition. The pain may range from general discomfort to disabling pain that immobilizes the individual. Back pain may result from a trauma to the spine, be caused by the natural aging process, or may be the result of a degenerative disease or condition.
Procedures to remedy back problems sometimes include insertion of implants over multiple spinal levels. The procedures may insert multiple implants each configured for placement at one of the spinal levels. The anatomy of the vertebral members that form the spine dictate the dimensions and physical characteristics of each of the implants. In some instances, a first spinal level may include vertebral members that provide a secure anchor for a first implant. However, the vertebral members at a second spinal level may not provide a secure anchor for a second implant. Therefore, this second implant may not be properly positioned at the second spinal level, or the second implant may be prone to move after it is implanted in the patient.
One application of a multi-level procedure is the treatment of spinal stenosis at the L4/L5 and L5/S1 levels. Treatment of spinal stenosis at these spinal levels may include placement of multiple interspinous implants. The anatomy of most patients provides for a secure anchor of an interspinous implant at the L4/L5 level. However, there is a large variation in the S1 spinous process in the general population. Many patients do not have a prominent S1 spinous process that provides a secure anchor for an interspinous implant at the L5/S1 level. Therefore, it would be advantageous for a multi-level procedure to utilize a secure implant at one spinal level to secure a second implant at a second spinal level to secure the second implant in the proper location and prevent unwanted movement of the second implant.